The Day I Miss You
by BelovedSlayer
Summary: They once loved each other. Fought together in battle. Is a second chance possible for them? Does she even want to start over? One-shot.


Drenched under the hard hitting rain, she reached for the double glass doors of the crowded diner, eyeing a lone booth at the far end corner.

Wiping her boots on the floor mat, she rubbed her hands together to keep warm, making her way through the throng of customers waiting to place their orders.

The smells of freshly baked bread and chai tea clouded the air, making her stomach rattle with hunger.

Removing her coat and scarf, she slid into the booth, studying the framed 1950's posters pinned along the wall.

She felt her heart pulse against her throat and wrists, her nerves on fire as she waited for his apparent arrival.

"Can I get you anything dear? You look nervous," a kind voice interrupted her. She looked up to see a 50-something waitress in a teal apron and leopard patterned eye glasses, pad and pen in hand. "Yeah, sorry. I'm waiting for someone. I'll have a coffee, black. And tuna melt if you have any."

"Coming right up," the waitress plastered a sympathetic smile before turning to assist another booth.

Drumming her fingers along the endpoint of the table, her stomach coiled in anticipation, the minutes slowly ticking by forcing the feeling to become unbearable to endure.

"Where is he?" she muttered under her breath. Her boots tapped at the checkered floor.

_Maybe_ _it was a trick all along… _

The letter from yesterday morning flashed quickly in her mind. It'd appeared to be his handwriting. Handwriting that she hadn't seen in over three years.

Because in those three years, she assumed he had been dead.

It had been the only explanation to make sense after the End of Days.

She glanced at her withered hands, the old battle scars tapered across her knuckles.

"Here you go Miss. One coffee, black. And one tuna melt. Oh, by the way, that tall man over there at the entrance with the black jacket, is that who you're waiting for?" the waitress pointed towards the double glass doors.

She felt her heart pick up speed at the mention of him.

"That's him. I think." She squinted and nodded at the waitress, her hands now fidgeting.

"Would you like me to bring him over for you?" the waitress asked, setting the food and mug in front of her.

"Um, yeah. That'd be great. I mean, if you don't mind," she sputtered.

"Not at all deary. I'll be back." The waitress took off.

A flurry of emotions swelled up inside her. Sadness, anger, love, hopelessness, melancholy.

_I don't know if I can handle this. _

"Here he is, deary. What did you say your name was?" the waitress asked the tall, familiar man, who grinned at her.

"Angel," the man announced, not looking at the waitress but at her. His once love.

_This can't be happening. This can't be happening. This can't be happening. He can't be alive. He can't be. It's daylight for crying out loud. He should be dead, if he hadn't been already. _

"Well, aren't you a handsome fella. Nice to meet ya Angel. I'll just leave you two alone. Holler if you need anything."

She avoided looking at him at first, gazing instead at the napkin dispenser as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

"I can't believe it. You're here. You're actually here. I thought you…you were…," she murmured, still staring at the dispenser, hands now folded on her lap. She took a gulp of air to steady the dizziness hitting at her.

She felt the world collapsing underneath her feet.

She took another gulp. Then another.

_You can do this. You can do this. You can do this. _

_You got this. _

He slid into the booth across from her, his deep brown eyes absorbing her every feature. Laugh lines surrounded her mouth. Her cheeks noticeably sunken. A large pink scar marring her left eyebrow. Crow's feet perched at the corners of her eyes.

Underneath those eyes were bags the color of deep bruises. It was obvious to him that the final battle had taken a severe toll on her.

His heart lurched at the sight of her. He wanted to pull her into his arms and keep her there, but from experience, he knew better. Any ounce of closeness and they would both pay a dangerous price for it.

_But she doesn't know. I have to tell her. That's why I'm here…_

He gritted his teeth, conflicted.

His eyes continue to linger on the woman he still loved.

She mentally yelled at herself.

Her heightened senses should've felt him coming, alerting her, but it failed to do so.

_How's that even possible? _

She spoke before he could open his mouth. This time her eyes bore into his. "I thought you were dead." She couldn't help repeating herself, her mind still trying to comprehend.

"What made you think I was?" his brows arched in confusion. He rummaged a hand through his trimmed hair.

Tears filled her eyes.

"No one told me. No phone calls. No emails. No texts." A shrug of her shoulders and she lowered her gaze from him.

"I left for San Diego after that to start over. New place, new boyfriend, but that didn't work out. My heart wasn't ready for somebody new. Not when I was doing everything I could to find out if you were still _here._"

She lifted her head once more, an intensity that wasn't there emblazoned in her eyes. "No one could tell me anything," she whispered, wiping away a tear. "So after all that effort, I gave up. Just accepted that you were gone and there was nothing I could do about it but move on."

He placed her hand in his and held it there, his finger circling her palm, sending shocks throughout her body.

_What the hell? It can't be. It's not possible. Maybe it's a dream…_

She felt a warmth radiating from the tip of that finger.

"Angel, are you…" she hesitated to finish the question, her mind reeling for the second time.

_To find out he was alive, and now this? _

"That's why I'm here. I wanted to tell you." He held on to her hand as if his life depended on it.

The noises from nearby conversations grew to a crescendo and yet, she didn't hear any of it. The man before her was the only someone in the diner that mattered the most.

"I'm human," he answered in a matter of fact tone.

Two words that were so simple. But they were two words that she thought she would never have the chance to hear.

Fresh tears shimmered in the corner of her eyes. She felt her throat tighten, unable to speak. "…But how?"

_How many times did I dream about this? That someday the sunlight won't kill him? That his curse would stop coming between us and hurt those we love? _

"You were right. I did die. For a while. The Powers…After I defeated the Circle, the Shanshu Prophecy. I still don't remember much. But when I came to, I didn't feel the hunger anymore. That instinct to kill. But it took some time to adjust to, I'll admit. I had to lay low until I could fight again."

He rose from his place in the booth and sat next to her, thighs touching, their hands still held together.

_I've dreamt about this too many damn times to count _

"The hell we went through. The people we lost. I sat back and thought about the second chance I was given. And I decided that I wanted to find you. To try to make amends."

"Still remember that time on the hill?"A grim smile formed on her lips. Her head carefully leaned against his broad shoulder as she welcomed the heat emanating from his body.

_I guess some dreams do come true_

He gently kissed the crown of her head.

"I do. And you saved me," he whispered against her hair.

She looked up at him. "I came close to losing you." Her voice somber. "If I hadn't made it in time…"

"Yet you did. The world's protector. The class protector. That's who you were. Who you still are. You rise up even when it gets tough. You're a fighter. Always have been. With or without me."

She allowed the words to sink in for a moment or two. And then…

"Kiss me," she pleaded.

"With pleasure," he replies with a smirk, setting his mouth on hers.

_Maybe this time for good things will work out _

_Maybe this time we'll have a chance for peace _

**_Author's Notes: Words in italics are B and A's thoughts, just to clear up any confusion. It's been almost a year since I last posted anything. 2019 was somewhat of a rough year. I wasn't up to writing very much but I'm hoping to change that. I'm working on a new story with hopes the first chapter will be posted soon. I'm not completely sure if I'll continue with Whiskey in a Bottle. It's up in the air at this point. Those of you who took the time to read my stories (even though it's not a requirement) up to this day, thank you all very much. I'm very honored. And as always, B/A forever _**


End file.
